Mackinac Bridge and Ontario

The Mackinac Bridge at 26,273' long, 155' above the water and 552' tall connects lower Michigan with the UP. Fifth longest suspension

bridge in the world.
Crossed into Sault Ste. Marie, ONT and the RCMP were their typical friendly and efficient selves.
Found licenses, local smoked meats, and intel at the Trading Post, as well as weather forecast. Fortunately for grouse (or partridge up here) hunters,  the birds don't like rain any more than the hunters so we'll have a little down time for scouting and prep before the weather improves Sunday.  But every person we chatted with recommended a place for Kali to hunt.
Friendly...

Retired

UPLNDR has over 178,000 miles and we're not talking about trips to the mall and soccer games.  So don't complain much when minor mechanical issues crop up on these trips.  RF tire developed a wobble in MO and we searched for a matching tire which is really kinda my fault because I spend so much time and effort researching the perfect tires that serve the sand, snow, mesquite, mud, and roads the truck may encounter.
Did manage to find the ONE matching tire in Bay City, MI and some really friendly folks to put it on.

Also got the local intel on best breakfast at the Crossroads Inn where we had awesome blueberry pancakes and visited with a grandma who bakes cookies for Halloween instead of giving candy. She was worried about rain for the trick or treaters and likely had it. 

Stopped in Traverse City to visit with Steve Smith of Pointing Dog Journal who published Kali's eight-part adventure story and is one of her big fans. Sat in his office and talked dogs,  hunting,  books, dog collars, kids, teaching, hunting, folks we both know, places we've both been, hunting, politics and a lot about woodcock. Great guy and he's cutting back on his work load soon so hopefully we'll be spending some time together in the field. 

Then onward through the rain towards Canada. 

Nothing very Interestating

When you're headed for another country, start at the southern tip of your own,  and delay the start so you can say goodbye to your family early in the morning, you tend to use escape velocity to exit the immediate area which in travel parlance means interstate highways.
They pretty much suck but serve their purpose. After picking up Emil in Austin as well as a prototype version of our dog tracking collar (Laelaps  (R)) from Scott, we vectored NE but were fortunate to stop in Franklin at the Pioneer Cafe where we not only found awesome homemade burgers, but also Texas-made soda bearing my Dad's nickname and some favorite flavors.

Pretty much slogged our way through NETX and Arkansas before picking a random exit to stop for the night in Lonoke.
Pulled in to the Motel 6.5 (not making this up) and Jason told Emil "I won't charge you a pet fee if I get to meet her, " so I brought Kali in to the office where we saw quail hunting prints on every wall! Of course the no pet fees room didn't have towels or bathroom lights,  but that's just details - Kali's celebrity status is what matters.
Today found us powering through even more interstate in AR, MO, IL, IN, and MI as we monitored the terrible weather in Texas.  Sometime later I'll tell you about my new character that I'll get to portray in Marvel comics called the Umbrella - just amazing how it never rains where I happen to be.
 We shut down in Lansing at 1494.0 miles and "just tired." Found Guerrazis Italian for dinner where the bar tender just didn't know if they had any local beer,  but said today they had just gotten in "some Something Something Badass" on tap (really don't make this stuff up). Had to have one and finally found out it's Norm's Raggedy Ass Badass ale and is really good despite the weak introduction.
And now,  Kali has claimed over half of my bed,  but there's a good chance we'll be chasing grouse in Ontario by tomorrow,  so can't complain.

I used to jump on the bed of my choice in the old days,  but now I'm content taking whichever need I'm given. 

80:52

Adam and Philip trained as a team, worked as a team, had the right boat, equipment and strategy to be TWS Finishers, and with some extra prodding at the seawall they were.
The wind beat them down a bit on the crossing and they were forced to walk the boat along the barge canal shoreline like we did. They got back in to cross the canal and were struggling to make headway towards Seadrift.
So I walked along the sea wall and waded into the water so I could get in their heads and get them moving again.
Pointed out they only had 36 minutes to beat my time. This got them moving a little faster and then their families joined then along the seawall to cheer them for the final half mile.
They crossed the line at 80:52, beating my twenty-one year old family record by 14 minutes!
And raising $8,000 for Carry the Load!
Too early to discuss repeat trips, but if we did, there's already some things we know we could do better, stronger, and faster.
But it'll take a while before we give that much consideration...

 Thanks to everyone that contributed to the cause, whether with donations, encouragement, visits, or prayers. In a huge undertaking like this it takes more than logistics and planning. And every little bit helps.

Getting salty

Crossing the bay is only a few miles...Only.
Back in '94 we came steaming into the bay at 0900 Tuesday confident we would reach Seadrift in time for the awards ceremony.
The SSE wind at 20-25 mph had different ideas. Blew is to the northwest shoreline and defeated every attempt at paddling. We walked the boat the miles along the north shore before we could get enough quartering wind to get back in the boat. Didn't cross the finish line until 1806, nine hours later! With no Tracker technology back then Daphne, or captain, was pretty concerned.

The wind direction was a little more southerly and not as strong when Adam and Philip finally exited the Guadalupe River after over 170 miles!

Under the wooden bridge. Last opportunity for rock chunkin.

End of the river...

Into the bay. Looks calm, right?

Jammed up

The jams around Alligator Lake are legendary, made more so by the recent flood. Even in the daylight the team struggled with climbing over and around, finding the widest route, and staying strong.
Then of course their Tracker went down, so we knew they were somewhere along the jam route and moving slow, but little else.
As I waited I watched a group of three women captains whose team was long overdue. They had left the prior check point at 1900 the evening before and had gotten lost in Alligator Lake. Their Tracker showed them wandering around trying to find their way out, back tracking, and burning time and energy. They didn't get to the last check point, the salt water barrier until 0930, over fourteen hours!
Our guys stayed away from the lake but still struggled with the jams.
They finally paddled in late morning.
We removed all non essential items, filled the drinks, discussed a bit more bay strategy and got them underway on the final leg.

Final push off

If only all the jams were on the shore! But this does give a glimpse of the size logs and mass that accumulates.

Through the barrier, symbolic in name and function.

From high to low

The check point at DuPont was so steep and muddy they had a wooden rung ladder AND ropes for paddlers to climb the bank. Even with that, I saw several sink to their hips in mud or slide backwards into the river and be stuck in water up to their necks.
My unstated goal was to have the guys make a brief stop staying in the boat and away from those shore hazards, get them reprovisioned and underway so they could hopefully reach the bay by dawn and avoid the wind.
Could tell the second they pulled up that wasn't happening. They threw down their paddles and were ready to STOP.  They had paddled into a few dead ends, dealt with gazillions of bugs, and slower current and were mentally fried.
Carefully got them on shore and bedded down for a while. They really only slept from 0245-0400 before they were awake again but refreshed. Got them a solid river breakfast and then they were off for the kids hands around Alligator Lake.
All of the enthusiasm from just a few hours ago was spent. Sleep was fitful. Might as well just keep going.

Yucky muck.

The biggest boost

Sometimes things just come together too well to doubt divine intervention. As the canoe was passing under the 59 bypass bridge east of Victoria, the vehicle carrying Adam's & Philip's families was passing over. The canoe landed as the kids bailed from the car and everyone got to enjoy a nice fireworks display before lots of hugging and smiles.
Well, a little hugging anyway. Three days on the river is hard to embrace unless you pinch your nose.

Biggest smiles of the trip.
More fireworks for the launch and they were off into arguably the toughest part of the race, the meanders that stretch on forever in the night. Truly the heart of darkness...
Couldn't have dialed up a better time for the mental and emotional boost of seeing family.

A good surprise

Obviously the race is over by this time, but recovery has been a little slow and I'm personally still only handling one task at a time, so competing blog posts had to wait. Catching up now...
Monday was very hot and also mostly a repeat of the River Marathon route so boredom and malaise were possible.
However, there was a good surprise waiting at the Nursery bridge when Skip showed up to be head cheerleader and Captain's advisor!

The flood replaced knee deep mud with nice sand so it was one of the most scenic stops.

"Love ya boy. That's close enough, hug not necessary"

Victoria City Park was next stop. Yeti crew met us there for more updates and interviews, a welcome distraction before the third night on the river.
Geared up for the tough night run through twists and turns plus jams.
Only 60 miles to go...

The waiting is the hardest part.

At a 4mph average there's a lot of down time for team captains. Halfway through day one the teams shake out into groups so captains get to swap stories, suggestions and concerns while waiting. A camaraderie inevitably develops and as individual teams arrive there's a steadily larger group waiting to welcome and encourage them.
Having been on both sides of the gunnels, I can attest that the challenges for captains may not be as physical as for the racers, but the fatigue is real and enhanced by concern when the tracker shows your team has stopped or is not arriving when anticipated.
When they pull up there's the initial excitement soon tempered by safety checks, reprovision, and route coaching.
The upside is the sympathetic company shared on the shore, something the paddlers don't experience unless they link up with another boat for a stretch.
None of it is easy or everyone would be doing it...

A well-deserved rest on Monday morning after a hot breakfast. Long day ahead...

Long day

The stretch from Gonzales to Hocheim is 39 uninterrupted miles so proper prep and the right frame of mind are required. Guess PAAKemUp had that covered as they pulled in to the checkpoint in good time and good spirits.
The stop included surprise visitors John and Joanna Athey (Philip's folks) and Marta and John. They got to share a bit of the waiting, checking the tracker and watching around the bend, plus the excitement and relief of another stretch under the boat.
Guys were in good spirits, wolfed a Schlotzsky's original and malted beverage, and set off into their second night, meandering another 25 miles to Cheapside.

It's a steep drop to the water and the rope helps the sea legs.

Ironman, Captain America, and the Hulk.
Marvel-ous!

Prep for the next 25 miles into the second night.

Who's paddling and who's still talking?

First night on the river

The first night is the toughest. The river below Luling is tight, winding, and full of hazards. It's the first test of the crucial lighting configuration. And the bugs...
The low water bridge at Palmetto State Park was mostly covered by fast water and was of extra concern. I watched one racer from another team get swept under the bridge and shot downstream in a matter of seconds. Fortunately our guys negotiated it well and set off for the first significant log jams.
They'll have to tell the harrowing stories, but swampy, muddy, and steep were all common descriptors.
There was the brief entertainment portion of the evening with Thriller and fireworks from an old bridge.
By the time they reached the 90A Bridge by Gonzales they were spent so they grabbed some ZZZ on the bank and I went on to the dam to meet them.
We all slept a little but not well. They paddled in to Gonzales by 0745 for hot coffee, tacos and Stevie Ray Vaughan, got provisions for the longest leg of the race, quick interview with the Yeti folks and back underway. I won't see them again for nine hours.
All in all a successful night. The second night they will be too sore to stop and will struggle along through the darkness.
It's pretty much a mental race now...

Captain's quarters

Smile for the camera

Next stop forty miles...

Who they're carrying...

Last I checked our generous sponsors had donated nearly $8,000 to Carry the Load and here's the fallen soldiers Adam and Philip have in the boat with them.

Lights rigged for first night.
After beer and BBQ...

Off into the night. The leg from Luling to Palmetto
State Park is in memory of SSG Chris Staats, USA.

On the river

Guys have been making excellent time, in great spirits, and with no issues. Keeping Cap'n hoping with their good pace and short checkpoints but that will change as the river stretches out after Luling.

Westerfield Crossing bridge

Staples Bridge

Luling and 90 Saturday evening. Beer and BBQ at next stop!

Prepared for launch

A little bit nervy as final prep is made.

Better to just get them on the water to settle down.

On the water at 0825!

The first of many miles. Race time in thirty minutes...